Geoff was born on the 27th May 1938 to Ethel and Leslie Dawkins in Isleworth.  Along with his older sister Margaret, they spent much of their early years in Haggard Road, Twickenham, particularly during the war.  When some houses at the end of road were bombed Dad remembers playing on the bomb site and using it as a playground.  During one blitz a firebomb  came through the top story of the house and rolled down the stairs, where fortunately it did not go off.  The bomb was then displayed on the mantel of the fireplace before "disappearing" one day.

His dad Leslie was a fireman during the war and apparently never spoke about what he had seen during those times, but we know that Geoff was very proud of him for this.

After the war they moved to Orchard Road in St Margarets, Twickenham, and it was here he went to school and then Technical College.

He was in a skiffle band and played the washboard as his instrument.  He attended several youth groups and joined the 21 Club at Heatham House in Twickenham where he proudly won several of the Car Rallies with Mick Buttle as his navigator.  Mick went onto be his best man when Geoffrey married Pamela Hamer in May 1966.